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Knuckler R.A. Dickey's next pitch is a children's book

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- New York Mets pitcher and Nashville native R.A. Dickey tied batters into knots with his knuckleball this season, but now he wants to send a clear message to kids with his new children's

Knuckler R.A. Dickey's next pitch is a children's book

Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey is writing a children's book about embracing individuality and he poses with one of his four children Van, at his Nashville, Tenn. home October 23, 2012. Dickey is a champion of early literacy efforts and the Books from Birth program and will host a fundraiser on Nov. 2. Samuel M. Simpkins/The Tennessean [Via MerlinFTP Drop](Photo: Samuel M. Simpkins, The Tennessean)

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20-game winner R.A. Dickey signed a three-book deal with Dial Press

"Reading is something that can really teach a child how to relate to characters and people," he said

His first book is scheduled for release in the Fall of 2013 and the second in Spring 2014

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- New York Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey tied batters into knots with his knuckleball this season, but now he wants to send a clear message to kids with his new children's books.

He recently signed a book deal with Dial Press, a division of Penguin, to publish three books. The first will be a young-adult remake of his hit memoir, "Wherever I Wind Up: My Quest for Truth, Authenticity and the Perfect Knuckleball," scheduled for fall 2013. The second book, tentatively titled "Knuckleball Ned," is set for spring 2014. The third is not yet scheduled.

Dickey was the only knuckleball pitcher in the major leagues this past season. At 38, he's spent the past seven years perfecting an unpredictable pitch that is usually released at a slower speed and without a spin, making it difficult for the hitter to determine where the ball will end up.

Much like the pitch itself, Knuckleball Ned, the main character in Dickey's second children's book, is different. He wobbles around and has to identify what his strengths are and embrace them, Dickey said.

"He realizes his differences make him unique, strong, and then his life starts to turn around," Dickey said.

"I'm a piece of a lot of characters you'll see in those books, and a lot of the people I know will be pieces in those books. I want kids to see it's OK to be you, whatever that is, and not be afraid of that."

With four kids of his own, Dickey understands how important it is to engage youngsters with books at an early age. He reads to them often, whether it's a touch-and-feel book about shapes and colors or the classic "The Hobbit" for his older kids.

"Reading is something that can really teach a child how to relate to characters and people," he said. "So I'm a huge proponent of reading to kids."

He and his wife, Anne, helped to promote literacy Friday at Books From Birth of Middle Tennessee's annual fundraising event, The Happily Ever After Party. The organization is raising money to support its mission of providing free books to about 33,000 children in Davidson, Sumner and Williamson counties through Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.

"I'm for anything that puts a book in the hands of a child, and Books From Birth does that," he said. "It fits with what I'm passionate about -- reading and writing."

Dickey's kids have been recipients of the books mailed to homes each month through the Imagination Library. Their eyes light up with excitement when receiving the package in the mail, Anne Dickey said.

"They would be totally excited and we would open up the book and read it that day," she said.

R.A. Dickey grew up in Antioch, a suburb of Nashville. He studied English literature while playing baseball at the University of Tennessee . After his junior year in college, the Texas Rangers drafted him in the first round. He's been playing for 16 years, just wrapping up his third season with the Mets.

Writing has always been a hobby for Dickey, but few knew it. He had written journals and short stories but was afraid to share them with anyone, he said.

In 2005, his sports career was on the verge of ending, and it was time to think about life off the pitcher's mound.

"I started really writing and trying to improve my craft," he said. "It was like a flood -- I would absorb and pick up things to read that I really could reflect on. From there, it grew into wanting to write children's books about three years ago."

Dickey said his best critics are his four kids.

"I'll write a treatment for one of my books and try it out on my daughter. If she says, 'Dad, I don't understand that,' then I know I need to change it."

Dickey admits boys will be most captivated by Knuckleball Ned, but he believes there is a life lesson for everyone. All the characters are baseball-related, he said.

"There will be dream busters along the way that will try to keep you from being who you are authentically called to be because it looks different

"The hope is that you are able to embrace what makes you different and unique and that it allows you to shine."